


Bad Blood

by Lost_Sparrow



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Blood and Gore, Breath of the Wild Guardians, Calamity Ganon - Freeform, Child Death, Cussing, Death, Graphic Description of Corpses, Hallucinations, Illness, Major Character Injury, Malice - Freeform, Other, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Serious Injuries, breath of the wild - Freeform, my first fic for LU and I'm starting it off with violence, pain and suffering, please beware the tags guys, pure angst, these themes will show up eventually in the fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23662141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lost_Sparrow/pseuds/Lost_Sparrow
Summary: Warriors was saying something to him, shaking him by the shoulder, trying to jar him from the reality that had uprooted the group from the Hyrule they had previously been in moments earlier. He knew he should move. He should say something. Anything.But he was frozen, glued to the dead soil that stood about him.This was his Hyrule. But something was wrong... Oh so very wrong.They had been taken back to the day the Calamity had struck.The day of his greatest failure.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 246





	1. Gathering Storms

**Author's Note:**

> Most of you may know me as thankyourluckystars13, or Lucky in the LU Discord! This is my first fic so bear with me! I'm really excited to get this story off the ground!
> 
> All entries are from "Live Write" sessions in the discord server. 
> 
> PLEASE beware the tags! They are there for a reason! You have been warned.

Smoke.

Thick, black, acrid smoke choked the air, dying flames lapping the crumbling walls of what once stood as the pinnacle of Hyrule. Faint screams could be heard echoing about, as the automated whirs of merciless machines flooded the ground, striking down anything that moved. Arrows flew, swords clashed, the ringing of horseshoes pommeling the earth filled the endless groans of battle.

Just beyond the courtyard, Wild had crumbled to his knees, his eyes wide and filled with anguish.

_No...No not again!_

Warriors was saying something to him, shaking him by the shoulder, trying to jar him from the reality that had uprooted the group from the Hyrule they had previously been in moments earlier. He knew he should move. He should say something. _Anything._

But he was frozen, glued to the dead soil that stood about him.

This was his Hyrule. But something was wrong... Oh so very wrong.

They had been taken back to the day the Calamity had struck.

The day of his greatest failure.

-Earlier-

A faint breeze blew around them, the quiet trickling of the stream somehow comforting as they sat in the dimming light of twilight. The Links had found themselves in Four's Hyrule, and though they had already encountered a few enemies, there were no serious injuries to be spoken of. It seemed as though the Goddesses had granted them a moment of respite in the somewhat tranquil forest they had sought shelter in.

Warriors was by the riverbank beside Wild, helping him wash the various pots and pans they had used for dinner. Though Wild had insisted he could "do it himself," Warriors had insisted he take on some of the work. "After all, you're the one that cooked for us!" he had said with a small smile, already grabbing a pan from the stack next to the fire.

Wild was used to doing things on his own, so though the company wasn't unwelcome, it made him a little tense.

"Hey, watcha up to?" Wind came over to the pair, carrying a rather large tree branch in both hands. The youngest hero was busying himself, swatting the cattails that lined the riverbed.

Warriors looked up from his work, pausing a moment to wipe the sheen sweat that glued to his forehead. Hylia, it was humid here... "Dish duty. Wanna give us a hand, Sailor?"

Wind suddenly grinned, then tossed his stick to the side, all but forgetting the "laborious" task of hacking the river weeds. Quickly, he knelt next to War, who handed him a small frying pan. "Remember, you only need a little soap. A little goes a long way, after all," Warriors said softly, then handed the small Hylian a sudsy rag and a well-loved bar of lavender lye.

While Wind busied himself with his new task, War turned to the Champion. Despite the Links had all been traveling together for a few weeks now, Wild had hardly spoken to them. When he did, they were in short bursts of sentences, or single word responses like "yes" or "no." The most he had spoken was in private with Twilight. The Ordonian and the Champion would sit for hours at a time, murmuring and chuckling with each other at a distance from the others to where nothing they said could be heard. Though War knew everyone in their group had their secrets, and he was sure Wild had plenty of them, it still made it difficult to relate with the guy at times.

Pursing his lips, Warriors tried for a half smile, glancing to the side at Wild. "So... Uh, Wild! What's your Hyrule like?"

Wild stiffened to the inquiry, and for a moment, War was afraid the Champion would leave his question floating in the air. In a quiet, somber cadence, Wild replied with a half smile in return, his brilliant blue eyes now fully on War. "My Hyrule, hm? Well..."

He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in deeply, taking a few beats to slowly release the air from his lungs.

"My Hyrule is vast... Untamed. When it rains, it pours. Lightning fills the sky and strikes anything and everything," he paused again and let out a small snicker. "I've been it's primary target once or twice.... In the mountains, there are lights of greens and blues that fill the quiet of the freezing air. In the desert, it brings the heat of a million flames. Yet... It's a place I call home." His eyes suddenly dimmed, and his face went slack, his head turning to the side as if he were suppressing a memory. "I-I'm sorry..."

"What for?" War replied, shaken from the beautiful imagery Wild had woven with his words.

Wild shook his head, then continued scrubbing the dark kettle that was obviously spotless by now. "It's nothing... Thanks for the help, War. I really appreciate it."

At that, all conversation died, and the awkward tension resumed as War went back to his own pot, his brow knitting with worry. Wild was keeping something from him... From everyone.

......................

A distance away from the campground, Four, Legend, and Sky were on duty for a patrol round, leaving Time, Hyrule, and Twilight to guard their belongings.

The trio shuffled about the clearing in the woods, casual conversation cast back and forth between the party. For the most part, Four was caught up in his own head, trying to shut out the three other voices that quipped and griped at him.

'... That son of a keese thinks he's all that. I mean, look at him! For Hylia's sake, his hair is fucking pink!' Blue argued, currently stirring up Vio, who was normally the level headed one of the group. The past ten minutes had been filled with nothing but Blue complaining about how obnoxious Legend was and why he wanted to deck his face into the ground. 'If I could just grab my hammer...'

'Blue, for the last time, we're not attacking anyone. Legend is an ally, not a practice dummy,' Vio retorted with a yawn. 'I'm just glad Green's in control and you're not the one starting fights with Mister Adventure's-a-Lot.'

'I kind of like Legend... He can be kind of mean, but he's been nice to us lately!' Red interjected, trying to remain positive in light of his brother's rude words.

'That's because he's been ignoring us, Red. There's a difference.' Vio again.

'Aww, Vio! You're so mean!' Red whined.

"Please, for the love of Hylia, would you all just shut up for five seconds?" Four hissed, rubbing his temples. Goddesses, he was getting _a lot_ of headaches lately.

Four hadn't noticed he had said anything aloud until he saw Sky give him a weird side glance mid-sentence. 'Shit, now you've done it!' Blue groaned. 'Great going Green!'

Legend and Sky gave each other a look, then fell back in step next to Four, who was now fidgeting with the edge of his sleeve.

"You doing alright...?" Sky chimed, casting another glance at Legend, who only shrugged in response and rolled his eyes to the setting sun as if to say 'Don't look at me, I have no idea what to do!'

"Yeah, yeah I'm alright. Just a headache..." Four winced, still rubbing the side of his head. It wasn't a lie, just not the whole truth. He wasn't about to say, 'Oh yeah! Hey guys! I'm literally four people in one body! Pretty neat, right?'

Sky gave him a wry smile, then went to the pouch at his side. "Here... I've got some herbs we use in Skyloft for pressure headaches. It sure helped me a lot, especially after spending half the day riding my Loftwing!" He produced a tiny tin, a thin purplish paste inside.

Quizzically, Four looked up at Sky. "Uh... Sky? How do you use this?"

"Oh, right! Rub it on your temples. It's got some chervil and lavender. And of course, the tiny budding plants near the Shrine of Hylia. It is said that she blessed those flowers herself with her tears." He blushed lightly at the last statement, Four still giving him an odd sidelong glance before dabbing the paste on either side of his head.

'Tears of Hylia my ass...' Blue muttered, to which Vio shushed him indignantly.

A strange relief began to wash over him, and he started to feel calm, more relaxed. The voices began to hush, and for the first time in a while, Four sighed with a newfound relief he hadn't felt in ages. The throbbing in his head subsided to a bearable ache.

"...Not to interrupt, but we should probably be heading back," Legend quipped at the pair, tilting his head back toward the camp. "We don't want to worry the Old Man."

......................

At camp, the fire was slowly dimming, soon to be nothing but embers. A sleepy yawn escaped Time, most likely due to the all-nighter he had pulled. The nerve...

Past the tree line, Twilight could hear the faint laughter of Wind, most likely telling one of his absurd stories to War. The thought made him smile softly, memories of the village children spooking one another with stories of their own playing in the back of his mind. With his back against a tree, his arms folded over his chest, he glanced at Hyrule, who sat on one of the larger rocks that surrounded the campfire.

Hyrule was rubbing the back of his left hand, his face pained. Twi frowned, noticing 'Rule had been doing this a lot lately. It was nothing new to say that Hyrule was a sheepish guy, quiet and kept to himself, along with his daring and adventurous side. Even still, there was something... Odd about his behavior. Something Twi couldn't quite put a finger on.

"What's on your mind, Pup?" He hadn't even noticed Time staring at him until he looked over at the Old Man, noticing the worried spark in his good eye. It appeared his own troubled expression had given him away.

Twi only smiled in response, gently shaking his head. "Nothing... I was just thinking."

Time hummed in response, stirring up the fire to bring a little life back into the dying embers. "What about?"

Of course, he wasn't about to out 'Rule. It was something he was going to have to bring up with him later. Instead, he tilted his head and looked around the camp. "Don't you find it kind of... I don't know, odd that nothing has really happened to us? It's been at least three days since we last saw a monster. That's almost unheard of, even for our track record."

"Mm, so I've observed. You're right, it is a little unsettling. But... I'm grateful for a respite, even if it's short lived," Time responded, his glance now hovering to where Hyrule sat.

'Rule was now looking between the two, still rubbing his hand absently. Twilight hadn't noticed the bandage around his palm until the Adventurer had gathered his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms about his legs.

"What if it's got something to do with the goddesses...? It wouldn't be the first time they've done something like this," Hyrule stated quietly, his brown eyes flitting to the fire. Twilight mulled it over, then scowled. Before he could say anything, Time interjected. "I do not think our journey has been the will of the goddesses, Hyrule. I believe there's something more sinister at play here. Even if this is a time to relax and recuperate, I do not think it is the intention of the gods. It's almost as if..." Time's eye had a far away look in it, his lips turned into a frown. "No... Never mind. Whatever has us bounding across timelines and Hyrules is the one pulling the strings."

Twi nodded solemnly in agreement, his ear twitching suddenly at the sound of a snapping twig. Instinctively, his hand flew to the hilt of his sword, silently prepared to draw at any given point.

At this, Time was on his feet, Hyrule fast to respond as well, fully drawing his own sword.

"What is it, Pup?" Time murmured.

Relief came as Twi soon picked up on the scent of Legend, Four, and Sky, headed back toward camp. His posture slacked, and he waved a hand in a wishy-washy motion, putting on a nervous grin. "False alarm! Just Sky and the others returning from patrol!"

Time sighed, giving Twilight a sidelong smirk before taking his seat once more. Hyrule, however, was less convinced. "How can you tell?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow, a smirk of his own surfacing. "Sky's wheezing. Not to mention, you can hardly hear the other two. Both Legend and Four are rather light on their feet. And... If you listen closely, you can hear them arguing."

Hyrule stiffened, then perked his ear in the direction Twilight had pointed out. Sure enough, the distant shouting of his comrades returning could be heard through the dense thicket. Honestly, he wasn't the least bit surprised. Given Legend could get on Four's last nerves at times, Twi figured he'd snap eventually, though he wasn't ever sure where the beef between them came from.... War and Legend? That was an entirely different story.

The Ordonian noticed Hyrule begin to relax, sheathing his own sword with some difficulty. His hands were shaking, and he had gone back to his mantra of rubbing the back of his left hand. Maybe Wolfie could help him out later…

The Links slowly trickled back into camp, Four and Legend still arguing. Four's eyes flashed with an intense blue, something Twilight had noticed only happened when Four was really angry about something. Sky was covering his ears, his face mortified as he stalked back into camp, a bundle of firewood clinging to his back.

Wild returned from the opposite direction, his face holding a somber light to it. Looks like his own Pup could use some talking to as well later... Warriors and Wind were on his heels, each carrying an armful of pots, pans, and a single large kettle. Wind was still spinning tall tales, giggling with glee at War's exaggerated reactions.

Time stood up to retrieve the wood from Sky, who was shooting looks at Four for his "foul language," and Hyrule had gone over to appease Legend, trying to get him to calm down.

"...Oh, yeah?! And what are you going to do about it? Steal my kneecaps because you could use another pair?" Legend snarked at Four, who instantly bristled.

"Maybe I will!" Four growled, his eyes still flashing that lively blue hue.

Before either could say another word, Hyrule stepped between them. "Guys, please! Give it a rest!"

"Move, 'Rule!" Four quipped angrily, to which Hyrule gave him a look.

"Look, I don't know what you both are even going on about, but it's obviously not worth arguing about. Just... Calm down, alright?" 'Rule's words seemed to help Legend out, who had turned and was grumbling something under his breath before taking a seat on a felled tree. Four was still a little harder to calm down, but eventually the smaller hero's shoulders relaxed and he was attempting to slow his breathing. Twi noticed once again, his eyes returning to their familiar brown. Weird…

As the camp began to settle to relative peace once again, a sudden shift in the air made Legend tense. A dark energy... A grotesque, foul presence that only grew stronger with each passing second. His eyes darted around the camp frantically, his hand instinctively turning to his pack. Where was it? Where was the damned ring? In alarm, Legend lifted his head to shout a warning at his comrades, only to be hit by an intense wave of dizziness.

Legend cursed as the world began to blur. The others had taken notice as well, some shaking their heads, trying to clear their vision.

The clean pots and pans Wind had been handling moments before clambered to the ground, the youngest hero crying out as his hands flew to his head.

All at once, an intense, piercing pain erupted in Legend's head as well. _"Shit!"_

War was looking at Time, on the ground beside Wind, trying to pull the squirming child into his arms. Sky wasn't in a much better state, looking like he was about to be sick.

Legend cursed again as his gaze turned skyward. Dark energy crackled from above the encampment, trickling down toward the Links ominously.

It was a portal.

_They were switching!_

Legend's stomach churned, anticipating the inevitable. They'd all pass out and wake up in an unfamiliar Hyrule, then one of them would recognize it and they'd be set to go on their merry way. Only this time... Something told him that wasn't how this was going to play out.

Fate had something else in store for them.

Four's Hyrule had been their calm before the storm, Legend realized.

His whole world began to darken and pitch around him. Legend felt himself slip from the log he was seated on, but before he could even hit the ground, he had lost all consciousness.


	2. Calamity and Hellfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corpses... Dead Hylians. Women, children, soldiers, all lay around them. Most of their bodies were charred beyond recognition, others were brutally mutilated, missing limbs. And the smell. Wind could hardly keep the bile down that surfaced in his throat. The sickeningly sweet smell of scorched flesh flooded his nose. 
> 
> This was truly what hell looked like...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two is now complete! Edited: 4/16/2020
> 
> Most of you may know me as thankyourluckystars13, or Lucky in the LU Discord! This is my first fic so bear with me! I'm really excited to get this story off the ground!
> 
> All entries are from "Live Write" sessions in the discord server.
> 
> PLEASE beware the tags! They are there for a reason! You have been warned.

What woke him up were screams of agony.

Legend coughed, realizing how _hard_ it was to breathe. His eyes flew open, and instantly he regretted it. The sting of smoke hit his eyes, to which he shut instantly with a hiss. _Goddesses, what the hell?_

From his left he heard a groan, a small tinge of relief hitting Legend as he realized at least one of them was alright. Shifting slowly to his side, he heaved a few more coughs before struggling to his knees. Hylia above, switching was the worst. Legend loathed it, especially in circumstances like this. It left them all disoriented, and it usually spit them out in the worst possible places. Monster camps, dungeons, battlefields, you name it.

Wheezing out, he forced himself to choke out a few words to his brother who lay through the thick of smoke a few paces away. "Hey... Who's there? I-- _Cough_ I can't see through all this damned smoke!"

More coughing ensued from the other Link, who replied with a raspy, "It's me, Four. Sky's here too. He's not doing so well..." _Shit. Sky's asthma._

Legend forced himself unsteadily to his feet, staggering forward blindly. He was squinting through the darkness to see where the two were still collapsed on the floor. Four was shaking Sky, who was wheezing and coughing, his eyes fluttering as he tried to sit up. "C'mon, Sky, stay with us. We have to get out of here!"

"No shit!" Legend stated through a bout of coughs, his eyes scanning the room.

Columns of smoke poured out from two tightly shut wooden doors that were barricaded from inside. Yeah, that's not the way to go. He turned and his eyes met a pair of stairs. At the top of the staircase, he could just barely pick out the faint pinpricks of blue sky. A small smile surfaced on his face.

"I think I found our ticket out of this hell hole! Hurry, help me lift Sky onto my back!"

Four struggled underneath Sky's weight, helping Legend secure the Skyloftian to his back. Under the additional load that he now bore, Legend found it increasingly difficult to breathe himself. Sweat drenched his brow, stinging his eyes with the thick furls of smoke that encroached the room. He glanced back at Four, who wasn't much better off. We really need to hurry...

Sky moaned softly, struggling to breathe through his own laborious wheezes. Fuck.

"Four, I'm gunna need you to do something for me," Legend coughed, blinking rapidly past the clouded apparatus. The smaller Hylian could only offer a few coughs in response, Legend's cue to continue his request. "Could you dig into my saddle bag for me? I've-- _cough_ \-- There's some Pegasus seeds in there. I can run Sky to safety, and come back for you." Four's eyes widened, only furthering Legend's aggravation.

"Look, we don't have that much time left before this room becomes an inferno! Just trust me, alright?"

"This better work..." Four rasped, before doing as Legend said, gritting his teeth. From Legend's bag, he produced a small pouch, laced with intricate patterns of red leaves and seashells. "This it?"

"Yes, now hurry!" Legend opened his mouth, not waiting for a response before Four popped a seed into his mouth.

The wings adorning his boots began to flutter on their own, more rapidly than usual. With a final glance at Four, Legend nodded. "I'll be back for you, I promise."

And in a blur, he was gone.

Legend ran as fast as his feet- well, boots in this case- would carry him. Up a flight of stairs, through a carved passage, and finally, he met fresh air. Or really... Cleaner than what they had been breathing. Beyond them stood a mountain pass, blue sky lingering in the distance. Rolling greenery dotted with forestry and lush wildlife bloomed in their wake.

What stood above them, though, made him suck in a sharp breath.

An ominous, obsidian cloud was blacking out the sun, stretching and growing, tainting the castle grounds blood red. From all directions, giant, mechanical monsters chased after Hylian civilians, firing off beams of light, landing their targets with precision. He watched in horror as a mother and her child fell victim to one of the heartless creatures, crushed beneath the being's feet.

His horrified trance was shaken suddenly by the sound of wooden beams snapping behind him. His head whirled, throat going dry.

_Shit, Four was still in there!_

Without hesitating, he dove back into the darkness. A lungful of smoke reminded him just how grateful he had been to have a moment of clean air, and it only reminded him how dire Four's situation was.

Speeding down the corridor and flight of stairs, Legend's stomach dropped as he quickly scanned the room. _Dammit, where the hell was Four?_

That's when he spotted him, crumpled to the floor on his side, a large gash in his head. A wooden beam lay paces away from him, and from there it wasn't hard for Legend to piece together what had happened. Scooping Four into his arms, Legend began his ascent upward again into the pavilion he had gotten Sky to.

As he reached the stone passage, his Pegasus seed began to wear off. _Goddesses, why now?_ Exhaustion hit his body like a brick wall, and he was forced to stop dead in his tracks as dizziness fogged his vision.

"D-Dammit..." he wheezed. Safety was so close... He just needed to--

He stumbled, catching himself against the wall, a coughing fit taking him over. Oh, for crying out loud!

If Hyrule saw him now...

Just the idea of Hyrule being there made his insides boil. He was not going to let some stupid fire kill him, and he sure as hell was not about to let it kill one of his brothers! Baring his teeth, he pushed himself to start running once more. He tasted iron in the back of his throat as he dove for the entrance, the final logs supporting the ceiling splitting and giving way behind him.

................

Wind groaned, the world slowly coming into focus above him. His head pounded behind his eyes, his stomach doing somersaults. Grimacing, he forced himself to sit up, hissing as the throbbing in his temples only increased.

"Wild! Hey, Wild! You gotta snap out of it!" Warriors.

That snapped Wind from his delirium, forcing his eyes open to take in everything around them. That's right... They had switched.

_So where was...?_

"Wild!" Warriors’ voice sounded more panicked this time. Wind managed to find where the two sat, crouched next to a crumbling stone archway.

The sky was painted red, the sickening smell of blood and ash flooding the air. Strange dark and purple tendrils danced around them in the atmosphere like glowing embers as everything around them drowned in the cries of battle. War was attempting to drag Wild to his feet, who sat frozen with his gaze staring forward. He was white as a sheet, and he appeared to be trembling violently.

Pushing himself to his feet, Wind staggered over to Warriors, who was grunting with effort to drag Wild's dead weight. "Wh-What's wrong with him?" Wind asked, apparently startling War, who jumped at the sound of the Sailor's voice.

"Wind! Thank Hylia you're alive! I've been trying to get Wild away from here! He's been like this for the past few minutes. We're too vulnerable out here like this... Have you seen any of the others?" War asked, his eyes frantically searching Wind's.

Wind could only shake his head, his own lips trembling as he began to crack himself. _There was so much death..._

Corpses... Dead Hylians. Women, children, soldiers, all lay around them. Most of their bodies were charred beyond recognition, others were brutally mutilated, missing limbs. And the _smell_. Wind could hardly keep the bile down that surfaced in his throat. The sickeningly sweet smell of scorched flesh flooded his nose.

_This was truly what hell looked like..._

"Wind, hey... Hey, look at me," War said softly. Wind couldn't tear his eyes away from the young Hylian boy that lay only paces away, his dead eyes staring back at Wind in terror.

War shouldered Wild, who was still frozen in time, as if in a trance he couldn't escape. It was something War was all too familiar with, sadly... Many of his own soldiers would freeze up like this in the heat of battle, a sign that they had fought many similar to the ones that they had faced. It wasn't uncommon to have the lasting impressions of war scars, both physically and mentally.

He knelt in front of Wind, gingerly cupping his face, turning it to look at him. Wind finally pried his eyes from the dead boy, tears streaking his cheeks solemnly. The Sailor hadn't even registered he was crying until Warriors used his brilliant blue scarf to dry his eyes, War's melancholy expression telling Wind that he was used to this...

_Warriors was used to seeing this much death..._

Wind shuddered, heaving a deep shaky breath as he stared at his older brother figure. "Wind... I need you to be strong for me, okay? Can you do that?" He tried giving him a reassuring smile, but Wind knew it wasn't genuine. Just a means to comfort him.

Slowly, Wind nodded, another small, shuddering breath escaping his lungs. "Don't look at them, alright? Focus on me. Focus on helping Wild. He needs us right now. We need to get somewhere safe. Out here, we're sitting ducks. If there are more of those metal monsters, which I don't doubt there are, we will be heavily outnumbered. Now... Hold my scarf, and stick with me." War stood, this time gripping Wild tightly.

Wind held the scarf tightly, dipping his head so he couldn't see the death that surrounded him. He wouldn't be rid of the smell. He wouldn't be rid of the cries that sang out around them. But at least he couldn't see it any longer...

With War shouldering Wild, his sword drawn in his free hand, he began picking his way among the bodies, guiding Wind and Wild toward a sheltered forest. The forest was dark and looming, a shiver crawling down Wind's spine at the sight. Something told him that wasn't a good place to hide...

He was proven right when a single, glowing red eye lit up from behind the tangles of brush. Mechanical whirs resounded before them, and a sudden, loud beeping began. Out from the forest stepped a large, autonomous beast. Its clawed feet were tinged crimson, half burnt char marks and dents scarred his outer shell.

_And it's brilliant, red laser was trained right at them.  
  
  
.................  
  
_

He had to blink hard a few times for his eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. 

The smell of stale, stagnant filth filled the cold air. To his left, a soft sound of chain links clinking together reverberated off the cinder block walls, and a low growl emitted from within the small chamber that he was situated in. Time narrowed his good eye in the dark, staring back into the piercing yellow gaze that loomed before him. Instinctively, he reached for his sword, but came up empty handed. 

_Oh, Hylia, why did this always seem to happen to him?_

From the faint glow of the oil lamps hung in the distance, Time could make out he was in a holding cell of some kind. The creature that stood in his wake was none other than a large lizalfos, its strange reptilian eyes shifting to get a better look at its prey. 

Gritting his teeth, Time looked around the cell for something, _anything_ he could use to improvise. The lizalfos took notice of Time being unarmed and vulnerable, a shriek of delight leaving the creature's throat as it pounced into the air, claws fully extended. Easily, Time sidestepped the monster as it sank its talons into the brickwork. With one swift movement, he kicked the lizalfos from behind and sent it reeling headlong into the stone wall, a sickening _CRACK_ indicating he'd snapped its front horn. 

Pained, guttural screams echoed within the holding chamber, stirring the restless creatures within. Jeers and shouts began to fill the silence as the two battled, Time still peeling the cell for something to use. Not a moment sooner did he realize the lizalfos was back on its feet, the beast slewing curses no doubt at Time. 

The elder hero then spied the cracked half of the horn embedded in the stone. 

_Perfect._

The lizalfos was rearing for round two, preparing to land a vertical slash at the hero. As soon as it was airborne, the Veteran rolled to the left and scrambled for the shard of horn, covered in oozy, black monster blood. _Great... They were Infected._ His fingers slipped their hold on the bone, but before he could get a proper grasp on the makeshift shank, the lizalfos was already upon him. 

Time grit his teeth as he attempted to dodge once more, but this time the reptile was ready. As he rolled to the right, a pair of sharp talons raked along Time's side, easily slicing through his armor as if it were made of Swiss cheese. Pain bloomed just under his rib cage, the Old Man groaning as he pressed a hand to his wound, crouching at the foot of the cell door. He brought his hand away to reveal his palm coated in his own blood, deep crimson in the low light of the prison. 

_Curses…_

Panting, Time glared the creature down as it began advancing for its third charge, coming in for a tail slash with enough force to break a man's legs. _Like hell he was letting that happen._

Before he could make his move, however, he heard a familiar voice from beyond the keep door. 

"Time!" 

He spared a glance back and met eyes with Twilight through the cell grating, Hyrule at his side. Both of them held shell shocked expressions, breathing heavily as if they had been running. 

Time opened his mouth to respond, but was shaken from his momentary moment of reprieve when the sound of skittering feet hammered against the cobblestone floor, the lizalfos taking charge, this time with the full intent to kill. The Veteran tensed, bracing himself for the impact of the creature. There was nowhere left to go. He was wounded, and he didn't know how badly. Not to mention he was running on spent energy. It was a mistake to stay up countless nights on watch and not wake the others for their watch duties. He always preached to them about "safety in numbers" and "having a shoulder to lean on was better than none." 

Sometimes he wished he would listen to himself when he dished out lectures. 

"Time, _move!_ " Hyrule stood a few feet away, a large, lit bomb in his hands. Time's eyes widened as he ducked back to the far side of the cell, just in time for the bomb to blow.

As the dust and rubble cleared, Time coughed and squinted through the debris. 

Hyrule had managed to lob the bomb into the cell door, not only blowing the doors away, but the monster as well. All that remained of the lizalfos was a pool of thick, black blood, and its writhing tail beneath the rubble, severed from the rest of its body. Time made a face of disgust, kicking the member away. 

"Time!" Twilight ran into the cell, his piercing blue gaze immediately spotting Time in the far corner. The Pup managed a small grin and ran to his Mentor's side, kneeling next to him, Hyrule following close by. "Time... Are you alright?" 

The older Hero managed a soft chuckle, patting Twi's shoulder softly. "Ah... Our friend there seemed to have nicked me in the side. Cut a decent chunk of my armor out, too." Reminded of his injury, Time winced and pressed a hand back over the gaping gashes. Sticky warmth pooled out slowly from underneath his fingers. "I'll be fine--" 

"No, you're not 'fine!'" Twilight glared at Time, prying the elder's fingers away from the wound. 

"It's not that bad, Pup--" Time started, but Twilight immediately shut him down. 

"Time! You could have died. You were trapped in a goddess-damned jail cell with no weapons! And this," Twilight gestured to the three, long, jagged marks in Time's side, "This is anything but 'fine,' Old Man. You could have bled out!" 

"Allow me..." Hyrule interjected, stepping between Twi and Time, then began assessing the damage. Twilight held his gaze with Time for a few more beats, his eyes mixed with worry and anger, but as Hyrule began to heal the lacerations, the Pup began to relax and relief washed over his features. 

"I'm glad you're safe, Time..." Twilight finally said, a waning smile gracing his lips at his father figure. "Can't let the Legendary Hero of Time die at the hands of a mutant lizard, now can we?"

Time let out a low chuckle, his side flaring in pain as the laughter disturbed the mending process Hyrule was working at. "Lie still... This will take a few minutes," Hyrule said gently. Time noted the younger hero already struggling to stay conscious as he poured his magic energy into healing the gashes, his eyes drooping from the strain. 

"I'll keep watch," Twi volunteered, his sword already in his hand. Time couldn't help but feel a swell of pride surge within him. Watching Hyrule and Twilight in action-- No, all of his comrades-- made him realize the legacy he had yet to pass on to the younger heroes. Of course, the suffering that came with the title 'Hero' was never something he wished for any of them. 

Even still, as the days passed, journeying with the small band of heroes, he couldn't be more proud to know such a brave band of friends. 

They were his _family._

His _brothers._

His pondering was interrupted when Hyrule lifted his hands from the previously wounded area. All that remained now were three, jagged scars that stretched from the bottom of his rib cage, up to where his chainmail had snagged and managed to protect Time from further injury. 

"Better... Gon' passout now..." Hyrule slumped forward, and Time managed to catch him, a smile surfacing as he lightly shook his head. _Guess they all had the habit of pushing themselves past their limits..._

"Twilight, do you know where we are?" Time murmured to his Pup, managing to stand shakily as he leaned Hyrule carefully against the stone wall.

Twilight nodded slowly, his gaze shifting to where Time stood. "This is Wild's Hyrule... I think we're in the lower parts of the dungeon. How did we end up here? Only Hylia knows..." He re-positioned his sword so that he was leaning against the adjacent stone wall, his eyes searching Time's. "Hyrule and I were in a similar situation, a hall or two down from where you were. We managed to escape after I picked our cell lock and we found our weapons stashed in the keep not too far from our cell. My bet is the monsters found us while we were unconscious and threw us in holding cells... Honestly, I don't know what they were planning to do with you since you were separated from us, but I'm sure glad we beat them before they could do you more harm." 

Suddenly, a low rumble began to fill the holding cell, the earth shaking beneath their feet. Screams and yells of panic started from deeper within the castle. 

Twilight's eyes widened, his ears pricking at the haunting sound of machinery. 

_Guardians..._

He and Wild had fought some off in the past together when they stormed the castle, but they only had to pick off a few at a time. Now, what he heard was an army. Hundreds of them... Their gears whirring, their arms digging into the stonework as Malice flooded the castle. 

"We need to leave.... _Now_ ," Twilight said, a cold shiver running down his spine. A dark, ominous presence chipped through the castle grounds, clawing its way to the surface. Tangles of black and burgundy embers floated up from between the cracks, littering the air with decay. 

_Calamity Ganon had resurrected once again..._


	3. Malice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of the strange goo bubbled up from the earth at their feet, slowly oozing upward like veins of lava. The Skyloftian managed to steer clear of the stuff, wary of how it could be affecting Legend. They certainly didn't need two of them covered with whatever it was…
> 
> Just as they rounded the corner of a large smoldering pillar, Sky nearly collided with Legend, surprised he had stopped. Soundlessly, Legend turned to Sky and held a finger to his lips. Be quiet. He then signed one simple word that made Sky groan inwardly: Monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All entries are from "Live Write" sessions in the discord server.
> 
> PLEASE beware the tags! They are there for a reason! You have been warned.
> 
> *NOTE: This chapter is still being written!*

_"..."_   
  
_"S...y!"_ _  
_ _  
__"SKY!"_   
  
With difficulty, Sky allowed his eyes to crack open a little. He could make out Legend's silhouette behind the dark spots that danced in his eyes. _Goddesses... It hurt to breathe._ He barely registered the shallow, crackling wheeze that slipped past his lips as he attempted to take another breath. Instead, he only managed a weak, ragged cough.   
  
He felt someone tuck their arm under his back, easing him into a sitting position. Another fit of coughs wracked his chest. It felt as though sandpaper had rubbed his throat raw, the inside of his mouth dry as the Lanayru Desert.   
  
"Here, drink this. We don't have much time, Sky! We need to get out of here and find the others."   
  
The cool, glass rim of a potion bottle was pressed to his lips. Gratefully, Sky nodded in understanding as Legend helped tilt its contents back into his mouth. Warmth spread throughout his body as he swallowed, the lingering taste of raspberry tart and spring mint on his tongue. _Thank Nayru Legend always added flavor magic to his potions..._ Hylia knows he would have gagged otherwise.  
  
A rush of energy surged through him as the weight he had felt on his chest began to diminish. His breathing began to ease, a few more coughs of discomfort leaving him before he fully opened his eyes.   
  
_He wasn't prepared for what awaited him._   
  
Fire and brimstone rained all around the ruins of what appeared to be a castle. The sky was a hideous red, black poisonous tendrils seeping out from the earth to connect to the heavens. Strange machines were marching across the scorched earth below. But the sounds... The sounds of _death._ Screams resounded all around, the roars and jeers of monsters bellowing in pride as a great evil descended upon the land.   
  
Sky's eyes tore away from the scene, only to find two of his companions no better off. Four lay close by, a huge, angry gash in his forehead. He was covered from head to toe in soot and rubble, his body trembling most likely from shock. Luckily, however, he was awake.   
  
Legend, however...   
  
Sky sucked in a breath after studying his brother. The adventurer sat next to him, barely able to keep himself upright. Sweat glistened across his forehead, his eyes drooping in exhaustion. Most troubling of all, though, was the deep wound on his arm that was festering with a black and purple ooze, something unlike anything Sky had ever seen. Even still, he managed a cocky grin, attempting to hide his injury.   
  
"Took you long enough... Had me scared there. You started to go into shock shortly after I carried you out here."  
  
"Legend..." Sky tried, but failed to say. His voice was coarse as gravel, foreign to his own ears. Din... _Curse his asthma._ Despite the potion, his throat was still sore, most likely due to prolonged exposure to the smoke.   
  
"Save it for later, Sky... You're still recovering. For now, let's get out of this hell hole," Legend remarked, his own eyes marveling at their surroundings. "I don't know whose Hyrule this is... But I don't like it."   
  
Sky nodded in agreement as Legend stood, extending his uninjured arm to help the Skyloftian. Legend managed to tug Sky to his feet, only to stagger back a little himself. Instantly, he hissed in pain and clutched the horrible gash on his arm. When Sky went to help, Legend only shrugged him off with a slight glare. "Easy... It's nothing, alright? I'm fine... Just stings a little... Help me with Four."  
  
Without saying much more, the two turned their focus to Four. The small Hylian had managed to get himself upright into a sitting position, but he couldn't stand, largely due to what Sky recognized as a nasty concussion. Four was lucky he had managed to escape with minimal damage.   
  
Since Sky couldn't talk aloud, he began signing to Four, _I'm going to give you one of my potions. You think you can drink it or you need help?_   
  
He wasn't sure if it was by trick of the light, but Sky swore he saw Four's eyes changing color. From blue, to purple, to red, then green, and back to his regular brown again. With a still dazed expression, Four managed to slur out a tired, "I thin' I ca' do it..." as he took the potion from Sky. In frustration, he squinted at the cork that capped the contents, then looked up at his brothers.   
  
"Oh, for the love of Hylia, give it here!" Legend barked, snagging the potion from Four. He popped off the cork, then offered it back to Four, this time helping him hold it. Together, Sky and Legend managed to get Four to gag down its contents.   
  
"It'll be a bit before he's able to walk... I can carry him--" Legend started, to which Sky glared at him, hard. With a shake of his head, he signed, _Not with that arm you're not. Move._

  
The pink haired hero looked as if he were going to protest, but decided against it and looked away, obviously glaring moodily at nothing in particular. Sky moved closer to Four, then signed _Think you can hold onto me? I can carry you, piggyback._ He gestured behind him, Four managing a small nod. For once, he wasn't protesting being carried.   
  
With Four secured to his back, Sky fastened the Goddess shield over the smaller hero's frame and took up Four's shield. Since Sky's shield was larger than Four's, he figured it would be better protection than leaving Four vulnerable from behind. Once he was all set, he nodded to Legend.   
  
Legend was looking worse by the minute, his skin paling as his breaths came out more shallow than the last. And Hylia, that wound... Was it just Sky, or did the dark goop seem to be spreading? Up close he could see it had made its way into his bloodstream, the surrounding veins on his arm dyed ebony. _It was slowly poisoning him..._   
  
"Sky." Legend's voice shook Sky out of his stupor, the older hero refocusing his attention on Legend. "Stop. Fussing. For the last time, I'm fine, alright? It's just a bad scrape. Nothing a little dirt can fix... " With that, Legend turned and began picking his way over large chunks of fallen towers, Sky close on his heels.   
  
More of the strange goo bubbled up from the earth at their feet, slowly oozing upward like veins of lava. The Skyloftian managed to steer clear of the stuff, wary of how it could be affecting Legend. They certainly didn't need two of them covered with whatever it was…  
  
Just as they rounded the corner of a large smoldering pillar, Sky nearly collided with Legend, surprised he had stopped. Soundlessly, Legend turned to Sky and held a finger to his lips. _Be quiet._ He then signed one simple word that made Sky groan inwardly: _Monsters._   
  
Quietly, Sky unsheathed the Master Sword. As soon as she was drawn, Fi began radiating with a holy energy, her leather-bound handle doing little to protect Sky from the intense warmth that heated the metal. The glow she cast dissipated the shadows around them, the black goo shrinking away from the heroes with an audible shriek.   
  
Slowly, the puzzle pieces began clicking into place as Sky stared into the luminous glow of the Master Sword. He had only seen her glow like this once before... He had only felt her energy grow so intense in the presence of one enemy. An enemy that bore a tremendous curse, one he knew would transcend for lifetimes to come.   
  
_Demise..._   
  
Whatever Hyrule they had found themselves in, Sky now knew...   
  
_They were in the presence of the Demon King.  
_


End file.
